Two-dimensional playability maps for single-reed woodwind instruments

Abstract

One method to analyze musical instrument playability is by visualizing a two-dimensional subspace of the musician's control parameters. This hasbeen widely used in the form of Schelleng diagrams for bowed string instruments. There, it is possible to identify regions within the bow force—bowing position subspace where Helmholtz motion is achieved. Such diagrams may be populated either on the basis of experimental measurements, or via physical modeling. In fact, physical modeling is particularly suited to this task, since playing parameters can be directly controlled. It has been recently suggested (Woodhouse, in Proc. SMAC 2023) that similar diagrams may be used for analyzing wind instrument playability. This study aims at exploring this direction using a physical model which has been previously validated against experimental measurements. Initially, an informed decision is made on which parameters should be chosen for plotting an equivalent playability diagram. Subsequently, various diagram versions are generated, focusing on different aspects of the generated tones. As already pointed out by Woodhouse, similarities appear between the diagrams for bowed-string and woodwind instruments. It remains to examine how valuable information regarding woodwind playability may be extracted from such studies.